Tearing strip guide



Feb. 26, 1957 E. E. SIMON TEARING STRIP GUIDE Filed July 2, 1954 I`NVENTOR. Eown/@QES/Mwv United States Patent TEARING STRIP GUIDE Edward E. Simon, Seattle, Wash.

Application July 2, 1954, Serial No. 441,035

4 Claims. (Cl. 220-52) This invention relates to what are designated as tearing strip guides, as designed for use in combination with a key for the removal of the tearing strip from a can body to detach the top, or cover for removal from the body.

lt is the principal object of the present invention to provide a tearing strip guide of novel form, which may be so associated with the key and tearing strip during the strip removing operation, as effected by winding the strip onto the key, the coils of the strip will be caused to wind evenly, one upon the other, and the annoyance that frequently results when such guides are not used, the coils slipping one from the other, or an unevenness in the winding that may result in breaking of the strip, is avoided.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a guide that is relatively inexpensive; that is easily and readily applied; that is easy to use and which requires no fixed connection with or seating of the key therein for it-s satisfactory use with the key.

More specifically stated, the objects and advantages of the present invention reside in the provision of a tearing strip guide that is substantially of H-form; that may be initially applied against the can body wall with its parallel leg portions extending along opposite sides of the tearing strip to permit the strip tongue to be turned up at one side of the cross bar of the guide and applied to the slot in the key shank as extended transversely of the guide, thus providing that, with the winding of the strip onto the key, the guide will be advanced along the strip and will operate to guide the strip onto the key and cause it to be maintained in evenly wound convolutions thereon.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention reside in the specific details of construction or formation of the device; in its preferred and also in its various modified forms, and in the combination and use of the device with the can, the tearing strip and the key.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, l have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating my tearing strip guide in one of its preferred forms, and showing it as applied to the tearing strip portion of the can preparatory to applying the key to the tongue at the end of the strip.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing a part of the tearing strip removed from the can body Wall and wound onto the key.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail through the can body wall, in the plane of the tearing strip and showing in dotted lines, the tongue of the strip as turned up for application of the guide thereto.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 3 but showing the strip as partially wound on the key.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the present device in what has herein been designated as its preferred form of construction.

Fig. 6 is a view of a guide of an alternative form of construction as applied to the can preparatory to use.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9, respectively, show guides of modified forms embodied by this invention.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

First, it will be explained that the present tearing strip guide is designed for use with strip winding keys of that general character designated in the present drawings by reference numeral 10; the key herein shown being formed from a single length of stiff wire, bent to provide the straight shank portion 16s, and the looped handle 10h at one end of the shank and the flattened portion 101c near one end of the shank that is formed with a longitudinal slot 11 through which the tongue of the tearing strip is applied for its attachment to the key.

The cans with which the guide is used might be any of those used commercially and commonly known as tearing strip cans, or key opener cans. The can shown in the present drawing is designated in its entirety by reference numeral 12. Its body portion 12b is of cylindrical form, but not necessarily so, and it is closed at its ends by end walls 14 that are joined thereto by double seams, as designated at 15. Adjacent one end,

vthe body portion 12b has a tearing strip 16 defined therein by two parallel, spaced lines of scoring, designated in Figs. l and 2 by the dash lines 17 and 17. This strip terminates, at one end, in a free tongue 18 which is designed to be applied to the slot 11 of the key 10 to attach it to the key for the removal of the strip by Winding it onto the key shank.

The dilculty in using such a key for its intended purpose, is the holding and turning of the key in such manner that the convolutions of the coil as formed on the key will be kept exactly in alignment, and not permitted to slip one from the other or be wound along the key shank. To avoid these ditlculties or annoyances in use of the key, l provide strip guides of the type of those illustrated best in Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive. Each of these is substantially of H-form and each is applied and used in a like manner.

The device now preferred by me is that shown in Figs. l to 5 which is struck from sheet metal of 1/32 to l; inch in thickness, and which is of the H-form herein shown.

This particular guide, which is designated in Fig. 5, in its entirety by numeral 20, comprises parallel, opposite side members, which I will refer to as legs, 20a and 20h, joined intermediate their ends by a cross bar 20x. Preferably, this cross bar 20x is quite lclose to one end ofthe legs 20a and 20b and the legs are bent slightly upwardly approximately at the line of the cross bar 20x as will be understood best in reference to Figs. 3 and 5.

The width of the leg 20a, should be substantially equal to the distance along the can body between the top edge of the tearing strip 16, as defined by the scored line 17 and the double seam 15 at that end of the canbody. However, this is not too critical.

Preparatory to using the tearing strip guide 20, the tongue 18 of the strip 16, is bent outwardly from the can body, and the guide 2t) is applied against the can body with the outer longitudinal edge of the leg portion 20a engaged against the double seam 15 and the cros-s bar 20x engaged against the outturned tongue 18 as shown in Fig. l and confined between the short leg portions. The key 1li is then applied to the tearing strip tongue 18 and given a turn to secure the tongue in the key slot. Then the key is turned in such manner as to Cause the Winding of the strip 16 onto the key shank in the usual manner of removing a tearing strip from a can wall. As the strip is torn from the body wall, it is drawn against and across the cross bar 20x, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and formed in a spiral coil on the key shank as shown in Fig. 4. As the strip is thus broken from the can wall, the guide 20 is automatically advanced along the strip.

Also, the strip coil forms between the legs of the guide immediately adjacent the cross bar, or against it. The short end portions of the legs Zita-Zeb a* the trailing end portion of the guide 2%, hold'the strip against-any endwise shifting relative to the key shank which is held in proper alignment and also against endwise shifting by reason of the coiling that is fori-ned thereon being conned between the legs V2da and Zeb and immediately adjacent or against the forward side of the cross bar 29x, as in Fig. 4.

It is preferred, but not absolutely required, that the edge of the cross bar 241x against which the tearing strip is drawn, be rounded for easier pulling of the strip thereover. The desirability for this will be apparent upon reference to Fig. 4.

The modied form of device shown in Fig. 6 is formed from a single piece of stifl wire, bent to provide a device of the substantially l-l-orm shown. device is designated in its entirety by numeral 3G, and comprises the parallel, opposite leg portions Stia and 3Q!) and the connecting cross bar 30x; these parts corresponding to the parts 20a- 2019 and 26x of the device oi Fig. 5. To provide one leg of the device with the width required to engage the double seam 15 of the can for the use of the guide, the forward ends of the leg portions fitta and Seb are formed with the end loops as at 36. The inode of use of this device is exactly like that of the device of Fig. 4 already described and will not be repeated. ln each form, the tearing strip 16 is drawn across the crossmember and wound into a coil on the key. As the coil is thus formed, the guide advances with the key and coii, and the coil is conned between the legs of the device.

The devices of Figs. 7 and 8, likewise, are made substantially like the device of Fig. 6 and are used in a like manner. The device of Fig. 7, designated at 4d, has the leading ends of the legs of the H member closed by a cross bar 41. The device i Fig. 8, designated by numeral 42, is formed with a narrow leg 43 for use adjacent the double seam of the can and the cross-bar 44 is relatively close to the end of the legs.

The device of Fig. 9, designated at 45 is similar to that of Fig. 6 in that it is of one piece wire formation but functionally it is like that device of Fig. 6.

Tearing strip guides of this kind may be made in the various forms shown and of various materials and sizes. Each eiectively and efficiently serves its intended purpose of keeping the strip evenly aligned in the convoititions'of the coil as formed in the key; thus the annoyance of uneven winding, running off the key, strip breaking and other results of uneven winding are avoided.

Having thus described my invention, what claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tearing strip guide for use with a key in the removal of a tearing strip from the body wall of a can; said guide comprising a rigid, plate-like member adapted to be laid atly against the can wall, to extend along the tearing strip; said plate-like member having a recess formed in its trailing end to receive the tearing `strip tongue when turned outwardly from the can wall for application to a winding key laid transversely across the guide member, said recess having a base edge at a right angle to the direction of the strip and said guide member being adapted to be pulled along the strip by the drawing of the strip against said base edge of the recess as wound onto the key, and said plate-like member having a recess formed therein forwardly of and aligned with the trailing edge recess to receive the strip coil as formed in the key.

2. A tearing strip guide for use with a key in the removal of the tearing strip from the can body wall; said guide comprising a substantially tlat, rigid, platelike member that is substantially of H-forrn and adapted to be laid against the can body wall with the opposite leg portions thereof extended along the tearing strip, adjacent opposite sides thereof and with the cross-bar or the member directed across the strip for the drawing of the strip thereacross as wound onto a key disposed transversely across the leg portions of the member forwardly of the cross-bar.

3. A tearing strip guide for use with a key in the removal of the tearing strip from the body wall of a can having a double seam at one end; said guide comprising a plat-e that is substantially of H-form, adapted to be laid against the can body Wall with its opposite leg portions extended along the strip, closely adjacent opposite sides thereof and with the cross-bar of the member directed across the strip and one longitudinal edge of said plate engaged in guiding contact with said double seam; the leg portions of the guide providing a recess between them at the trailing edge of the plate through which the upturned tongue of the tearing strip is passed for application to a key applied across the double seam and plate; and said plate being adapted to be advanced along the strip as said strip is drawn against and across the cross-bar in winding it onto the key; said cross-bar of the members being relatively close to the trailing end of the guide, to provide a relatively long recess forwardly thereof for containing the lower part of the strip coil as formed on the key.

4. A guide as in claim 3 wherein the plate is angularly bent at the line of the cross-bar to cause the opposite end portions of said plate, as laid against the can, to be directed away from the body wall.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 453,119 Keleher May 26, 1891 760,419 Cantrell May 24, 1904 1,784,064 Griswold Dec. 9, 1930 2,470,212 Carlson May 17, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 277,242 Switzerland Dec. 1, 1951 

